Parallel Quests
by Kaede
Summary: Two unlikely adventurers band together on the same quest, but for ultimately different reasons...


Disclaimer: I have no claim to the worlds of Forgotten Realms, or their heroic characters, as do the marvelous people at TSR. I am but a simple fan of the #1 breed, looking to idolize their creation in the best way I know how. Please don't kill me. 6.6;;  
  
Warnings: I don't really think there should be a need for any, but I've rated this PG-13 in case of future mishaps anyway ^_^V  
  
Author's Note: I started this fic a while back while in the midst of reading a bunch of books about assassins. I decided they were all missing something, so I've made my own, mixing him up in unusual situations at will. Enjoy, and R/R if you like, and especially if there's something you don't!! Special thanks to Winterfox for your helpful review~!  
  
Parallel Quests  
Chapter 1 - Unlikely Alliance  
  
The alleyway was dark and dismal, but empty. That was not unexpected, though it came as somewhat of a relief to the assassin, as his reputation was not well-known here. He was out in the early evening's blackness to avoid being seen clearly, and that was usually hard in the confined areas of such a small alley. If there was anyone in it, at least. No such trouble here, so the tall man tossed back the cowl of his cloak to catch the slight breeze and opened his ears to the night's sounds and silences. He started off decisively in a whisper of sound down one side of the alley, across from the reeking piles of picked-over trash. This aspect of the city he had reached thoroughly disgusted him. How could sentient creatures bear to leave waste in such public places, and have other people begging for scraps and useful garbage on the streets? It happened in his own town, too, but to a much lesser degree. Himself, being a vile sort but a clean one, had no use for such hasty, sloppy ignorance. He was thorough, and left no sign of his passing unless it was meant to mislead someone else.  
Nearly tripping over a crack in the cobbling made Darus step out of his reverie. He had not made any noise in his slip, which was fortunate. He shook his head to clear it, dark hair falling in pieces across his eyes. A slipup in his technique was exactly not what he needed right now.  
  
A small noise above him started Darus, and he looked up just in time to dodge a quicksilver, green-flighted arrow aimed at him from the rooftops. Reaching for his small but useful amount of magical skill, Darus sent a globe of faerie fire to suspend itself around the offender's bow hand. Holding one palm over the magical pendant that hung beneath his navy blue tunic, the assassin levitated rapidly up to roof level, being careful not to be seen. He saw a small figure retreating at a swift pace about three rooftops away. Not stopping to wonder how that slim figure, most likely an elf, had gotten that far that fast, Darus set off in rapid pursuit. Leaping the gaps between the rooftops with ruthless ease, thanks be to his pendant, he soon caught up with the offending archer.  
The assassin flung out one long arm and caught the fleeing elf by the shoulder, snapping the taut bowstring with his other, gloved hand. The archer stopped in terror and collapsed to the wooden roofing. A chance grab of the roofpeak stopped her from sliding to the edge. Not making any obvious attempt at escape with such a formidable and fast foe right there, the smaller archer surrendered, for the moment.  
Darus spun the elven archer around on the roof, freeing the feeble hold the elf had on the peak, putting the archer at his mercy. Staring down at the captive, Darus saw that the elf's cloak had been tossed astray in the chase. The enchanting face of a wood-elven maiden stared up at him with blue-green eyes. Not at all the hardened features of a dark-elven assassin as Darus had expected. Somewhat taken aback by this new discovery, Darus felt his iron grip on the elf's hand falter, causing her to start slipping down the slant of the roof. He tightened his grip and hauled her to a standing position, balancing precariously on the tip of the roof.  
Darus was taller than her by a good measure, for although she was tall for an elf, he was himself unusually tall. It was likely due to his partly northern-barbarian ancestry. His icy blue eyes also must have come from his barbarian ancestors, though he held the southern elven heritage responsible for all other matters of his physique, including his odd dark hair, his natural agility, and his skill with precision projectiles. That was of no matter at the moment, though. He found himself wondering what this wild beauty was doing shooting arrows at him in such a scum city as Calimport. Asking was the best way to get the information he needed, so he shook away her feeble, desperate attempts to escape from his grip and spoke in common, as he knew painfully few words of the language of the wood elves.  
"Why are you in Calimport?" It seemed an odd question to ask first, as a complete stranger, an assassin no less, should be little bothered with the fortunes of others whom they are not employed for or against. The slim girl replied slowly, her rich accent mingling musically with her words, even in the sharp common tongue.  
"I've come to the city by accident, and mean to find my way to my brother and leave," she said. There was no trace of treachery in her expression, only a need for freedom and perhaps a trace of desperation. Darus replied with another question.  
"Why, then, did you attack me so freely?" he asked sharply.  
"You resemble the captain of the ship that captured my brother further up the Sword Coast," she replied honestly.  
"Well, then. I see you have been proven in the wrong, though I think I will keep you around for a while. You wouldn't happen to have any idea where a good inn is, would you?" The girl trembled slightly at the thought of being kept around such a sinister character for any longer than necessary, but then she seemed to steel herself against the fear and spoke boldly.  
"I know of no inns, I have not been here long. I do believe we are standing atop one, though I have not checked as to whether or not this one would be suitable or palatable to one such as myself. However, I strongly doubt anything in this dismal city could ever truly be to my satisfaction." She left off on a note of disgust, and Darus almost agreed with her. If his profession had not led him to come to the city, chances are he would never have strayed here. Sighing at the unwanted though obviously talented baggage he had picked up, he swung the young elven maiden, struggling, into his arms and levitated down behind the inn building.  
It was called the Maiden's Toe Inn, and was small but fairly clean compared to its neighbouring taverns and inns. A stroke of uncanny luck, Darus thought, swinging the small elf to her feet just outside the creaking door. He kept a firm grip on the collar of her garb, warning her under her breath that she'd better be casual, or else. Schooling his features into a calm, nondescript expression, Darus swung the door open. The warmth inside the inn washed over the unlikely pair, though neither had been aware that they were cold. Humans were everywhere, most of them betting on the few chance games to the side of the main common room. A few scattered dwarves and elves sat around drinking various brews and laughing, completely ignoring them. A couple of older halflings were warming their stubby hands at the large hearth at the back, which puzzled Darus as it was midsummer, not midwinter. The assassin shrugged and continued on to the modest wooden bar that ran the length of the back wall. A pudgy, friendly human man and his wife were serving the various customers, and theirs was obviously an honest business, unlike some of their swindling neighbours. Darus would actually have preferred the company of thieves and vagabonds to any too-soft commoners, but there was no choice here. The young female elf was forced to behave in this setting, as she may not have been in another, less cozy inn. Darus felt a stirring of annoyance at the fact that he had not inquired as to the young archer's name, but he would find that out soon enough.  
"Ahem," he prompted the plump couple behind the bar, "have you any rooms open?" He left an edge behind his tone so that his request would be answered punctually, as these common softies obviously did not have guards or even decent weapons present. Odd for an inn in Calimport, but at least his techniques would work well here to get fast service. The fat lady waddled over to confer with her husband, then retrieved a key on a large wooden tag from a locked drawer behind the counter. She handed it over quickly with a few words of explanation.  
"This here's th' key to the room with 14 on the door. Upstairs, second on the right. Rent is five silver per night, two silver paid in advance." The lady waited hesitantly as he gave her a look of warning and handed over the two silver pieces. It was a fair price, but if the room wasn't worth it he would not pay more than the accommodations deserved.  
Forcing his silently unwilling companion up the odd, spiraling stairs before him, Darus ascended to the second floor of the busy inn, finding the room with no problem. Inside, he bound his quarry to a chair by the window with a magical cord that could only be released with the right trigger word. A quick magical scan of the room found no obvious traps. Deciding that the simple folk who owned the Maiden's Toe Inn would have no need for heavily disguised traps and surveillance equipment, Darus settled down to the amiable pastime of interrogating his captive.  
The young elven archer was trying to discover the right trigger word to the binding cord. She didn't know that it could only be released by his voice. He interrupted her chanting of various words in common with an abrupt question.  
"What is your name?"  
"If I thought you'd understand my name in my language, I would tell it to you. Yet I have reason to believe that you would not." The wood elven tongue sounded like sweet music coming from the young elven girl, yet she had not delivered the message Darus had wanted. He growled at her boldness, finding it cynically amusing that the girl had no idea who or what she was dealing with. If she had the proper knowledge of his profession, she would not be likely to be so brash. Darus decided to show her the extent of her captivity.  
He stalked pensively away from the offending young female, spinning abruptly after a few steps and slipping more than ten various daggers from their hiding places about his person. Each was whirled and flung in quick succession towards the girl, burying deeply into the rough wood of the chair and the wall around her. They came so close that a couple of them drew tiny hairline cuts in her skin, yet she barely blinked at his demonstration of speed and agility.  
Darus held the cool steel pommel of his last dagger loosely in one hand, spinning it idly. "You would be surprised the things I know. Answer!" It had the desired effect. While not totally terrified of his show of weaponskill, she did have sufficient reason to be acquiescent.  
The archer sat up straighter, tunic catching on the rough wood of the chair, and replied to Darus's earlier question. "If you will tell me your name, then I will tell you mine."  
Darus was irritated that the girl was not afraid of him, but decided that perhaps her cooperation would be more useful than her enmity. "Darus Eldon Miramar," he said in a low tone, teeth flashing in the low twilight glow from the window, giving his full family title for effect.  
"Lyria Swift," came the soft reply. Each eyed the other, and Darus nodded coolly, dark hair sweeping across his shadowed brow. "Lyria. You are my captive from now until I deem it fit to release you. I have powers at my command such that you shall never be free of my will until I deem it so." Lyria nodded quietly. She watched the tall, silent man retrieve his blades from the shabbily papered wall behind her, then sat tolerantly while he searched her for weapons. While still awed by and somewhat terrified of him, she was beginning to feel a tiny glimmer of hope. He was not unreasonable, and he was professional. He knew much. Maybe, just maybe, he'd be able to help her find her brother, whether he knew he was helping or not.  
  
** To Be Continued. **  
  
AN: Comments? Ideas? Let me know what you think, and R/R for more!!! (^_^)V 


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